For the first time in the Royal Bank of Canada Primary School Spelling Bee’s more than 13 year history, three boys walked away champions after tying for the 2010 title.
St. Ignatius Catholic School’s Nayil Arana, George Town Primary’s Aaron Fernandez, and Prospect Primary’s Chayce Jones each had perfect scores after blitzing through words like oesophagus, zoophyte, ikebana and tautology with little effort.
Of the 16 words they were asked to spell, during the nearly three-hour long competition, they each got all 16 correct.
With only a single lap top provided by sponsors RBC for the winner, it was Education Minister, the Hon. Rolston Anglin who saved the day by quickly pledging two additional machines to reward the three.
Other awards for the winners included the Premier’s Plaque, which was presented by West Bay
Legislative Assembly Member Capt. Eugene Ebanks.
Placing a close second was Prospect Primary’s Denzil Boyd who ended the competition with 15 points to his credit.
But a battle for third place ensued after Cayman Academy’s Khajia Campbell and North Side Primary’s Tiona Miller were each found to have 14 points. Khajia Campbell landed in the winners’ circle, however, after Tiona Miller missed the letter s in the third-place tie breaker ‘Jacuzzis’.
The competition was judged by Education Ministry and department representatives Herbert Crawford, Mark Ray and Cecil Chan A-Sue. Mellony Bryan served as spell-master and Royal Bank’s Mitzie Bailey as time-keeper.
Other Government representatives attending the event included Education Ministry Chief Officer Mary Rodrigues, and George Town Legislative Assembly Member Alden McLaughlin Jr.
